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{{Short description|American independent record label}}
{{Infobox record label 
| name = Righteous Babe Records
| image = Righteous babe records.png
| image_alt = Woman in a short dress raising her firsts towards the sky: above it in a semi-cirkel the text "Righteous Babe"
| caption = The official logo for Righteous Babe Records.
| founded = {{start date|1990}}
| founder = [[Ani DiFranco]]<br />Scot Fisher
| country = U.S.
| distributor = [[Symphonic Distribution]]
| website = {{URL|www.righteousbabe.com}}
}}

'''Righteous Babe Records''' is an American [[independent record label]] that was created by folk singer [[Ani DiFranco]] in 1990 to release her own songs in lieu of being beholden to a mainstream [[record company]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D04E2D81F3CF935A25751C0A96E958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all |title=Righteous Babe Saves Hometown; A Fiercely Independent Folk Singer's Soaring Career Lifts Buffalo, Too|date=1998-02-16| access-date=2008-05-14 |work=New York Times | first=Andrew C. | last=Revkin}}</ref>

==History==
Righteous Babe Records was originally called Righteous Records; however, DiFranco then discovered a gospel music label already had that name, and to differentiate her company, added the "Babe".<ref>{{Cite book|title=No walls and the recurring dream : a memoir|last=DiFranco |first=Ani |isbn=9780735225176|location=New York, New York |oclc=1060199264 |year=2019}}</ref>

Located in DiFranco's hometown of [[Buffalo, New York]], the business grew organically, starting in 1990 with her first [[cassette tape]]. DiFranco sold the tapes out of the back of her car and at shows on tour, then sold them on consignment in local stores. Teaming up with her longtime business partner Scot Fisher, they were able to self-distribute her albums directly to over 100 indie accounts. DiFranco cites her anti-corporate ethos for the [[DIY ethic]]s at Righteous Babe and not wanting to buy into the [[Record label#Major labels|major label]] system.<ref>{{cite web |last=Burlingham |first=Bo |title=Don't call her an Entrepreneur |url=http://www.inc.com/magazine/20040901/difranco.html|publisher=Inc. Mag |access-date=August 19, 2013}}</ref>

Having a large women’s music following she was able to make connections at Zango and Goldenrod, two music distributors specializing in women’s music who started selling her albums to women’s book stores and other small music shops. After the independent success of her sixth album ''[[Out of Range (album)|Out of Range]]'', Righteous Babe Records signed a distribution deal with independent distributor [[Koch International]] (later [[eOne]]) for DiFranco’s highly anticipated ''[[Not a Pretty Girl]]'' release in 1995. Her records could then be found in large and small record stores alike and the Righteous Babe staff quickly grew to fourteen people.<ref>{{cite web |last=Goldscheider|first=Eric|title=At 33, Singer's Finding Her Place in the World |url=http://www.eric-goldscheider.com/id83.html |work=On the Road with Ani DiFranco |access-date=August 19, 2013}}</ref>

DiFranco and Fisher stress the importance of [[community]] to their business such as working with local printers whenever possible, hiring friends and like minded people.<ref>{{cite news |last=Revkin|first=Andrew|title=Righteous Babe Saves Hometown; A Fiercely Independent Folk Singer's Soaring Career Lifts Buffalo, Too |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/16/nyregion/righteous-babe-saves-hometown-fiercely-independent-folk-singer-s-soaring-career.html |newspaper =The New York Times |date=16 February 1998 |access-date=August 19, 2013}}</ref>

Righteous Babe expanded in the late 1990s to release albums for non-mainstream artists and in 2001 Righteous Babe opened a European office called Righteous Babe LTD.

[[Alternative Press (magazine)|Alternative Press]] described the label's focus as "the freedom of being able to create for oneself" and the roster as "a lineup of artists who are uniquely themselves."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Phillips|first=Marian|date=2021-06-01|title=11 LGBTQIA+ and women-owned labels that are changing the music industry|url=https://www.altpress.com/features/women-lgbtqia-owned-record-labels/|access-date=2021-06-02|website=Alternative Press|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Babeville==
[[Image:Delaware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church Dec 09.JPG|150px|thumb|Home of Righteous Babe Records, December 2009]]

In 1995, an abandoned 19th century historical landmark, the [[Delaware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church|Asbury Delaware United Methodist Church]] was scheduled to be demolished by the City of Buffalo.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2004/november-december/an-exchange-with-ani-difranco.html |title=An exchange with Ani DiFranco - National Trust for Historic Preservation] |magazine=Preservation |year=2004 |access-date=2013-08-19 |archive-date=2013-12-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131212020910/http://www.preservationnation.org/magazine/2004/november-december/an-exchange-with-ani-difranco.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> The church had been built in 1876 but became derelict with no upkeep. In 1999, Righteous Babe Records offered to buy the building from the city. Restoration efforts began in 2000, and by 2006 it had been converted into an entertainment venue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.babevillebuffalo.com/timeline.asp |title=Babeville - Timeline |access-date=May 14, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080528180922/http://www.babevillebuffalo.com/timeline.asp |archive-date=May 28, 2008 }}</ref> Originally referred to as "The Church", the name was affectionately changed to "Babeville."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wgrz.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=50776 |title=DiFranco Renames "The Church" to "Babeville"|date=September 12, 2007 |access-date=May 14, 2008 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://babevillebuffalo.com/ |title=Babeville Buffalo NY Events Calendar |access-date=December 16, 2020 }}</ref> It has a 1,200-seat concert hall and is the home of the label.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/Leadership/Mayor/Mayor_s_Plans_and_Proposals/Mayors_Vision_for_Buffalo |title= A NEW VISION FOR A NEW BUFFALO: Mayor Byron W. Brown |year=2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080615132753/http://www.ci.buffalo.ny.us/Home/Leadership/Mayor/Mayor_s_Plans_and_Proposals/Mayors_Vision_for_Buffalo |archive-date=June 15, 2008 }}</ref>

==Artists==
===Extant===
* [[Ani DiFranco]]
* [[Gracie and Rachel]]
* [[Holly Miranda]]
* [[Jess Nolan]]
* [[Jocelyn Mackenzie]]
* [[Joy Clark]]
* [[Kristen Ford]]
* [[Lilli Lewis]]
* [[Liv Slingerland]]
* [[Peter Mulvey]]
* [[Pieta Brown]]
* [[Prison Music Project]]
* [[Resistance Revival Chorus]]
* [[Robinson & Rohe]]
* [[Wryn]]
* [[Zoe Boekbinder]]
* [[Ruth Theodore]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.righteousbabe.com/pages/ruth-theodore | title=Ruth Theodore }}</ref>
* [[Dar Williams]]<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.righteousbabe.com/pages/dar-williams |title= Dar Williams |access-date= 2025-07-03}}</ref>

===Alumni===
* [[Andrew Bird]]
* [[Animal Prufrock]]
* [[Bitch and Animal]]
* [[Drums and Tuba]]
* [[Hamell on Trial]]
* [[Nona Hendryx]]
* [[Jennifer Knapp]]
* [[Sara Lee (musician)|Sara Lee]]
* [[Arto Lindsay]]
* [[Anaïs Mitchell]]
* [[Utah Phillips]]
* [[Toshi Reagon]]
* [[Sekou Sundiata]]
* [[Kurt Swinghammer]]
* [[That 1 Guy]]
* [[Buddy Wakefield]]

==See also==
* [[:Category:Righteous Babe Records artists|Righteous Babe Records artists]]
* [[:Category:Righteous Babe Records albums|Righteous Babe Records albums]]
* [[List of record labels]]

==References==
{{reflist|35em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.righteousbabe.com Official Righteous Babe Records site]
* [http://www.babevillebuffalo.com/ Official site of 'Babeville']

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American independent record labels]]
[[Category:Anti-folk music]]
[[Category:Companies based in Buffalo, New York]]
[[Category:Music of Buffalo, New York]]
[[Category:Folk record labels]]
[[Category:Record labels based in New York (state)]]
[[Category:Record labels established in 1990]]
[[Category:Righteous Babe Records artists| Righteous Babe Records]]

Righteous Babe Records - Revision history

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